حافظ — بزرگترین شاعر غنایی فارسی از شیراز
Khwaja Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Hafez (c. 1315–1390) is the undisputed master of the Persian ghazal and the most widely read poet in the Persian-speaking world. Born and buried in Shiraz, his tomb (Hafezieh) remains a pilgrimage site for Iranians of all backgrounds.
His Divan (collection of poems) contains 500+ ghazals exploring themes of divine love, mysticism, the hypocrisies of religious orthodoxy, wine as a symbol of spiritual intoxication, and the beauty of the beloved. The language is simultaneously sensual and mystical — deliberately ambiguous between the earthly and divine.
Iranians practice Fal-e Hafez (divination with Hafez) — opening his Divan at random and reading the poem as a personal omen. This practice persists today across the Persian-speaking world and diaspora. Goethe, Emerson, and Nietzsche all praised Hafez as one of humanity's greatest poets.
Hafez is known for his ghazals — lyric poems that explore divine love, mysticism, wine, and truth with layers of meaning. He is the most widely read poet in the Persian-speaking world.
Fal-e Hafez is the Persian practice of seeking spiritual guidance or fortune by opening the Divan of Hafez at random and reading the verse as a personal message. It is practiced by millions of Iranians today.